Fire Danger Period, Project 2016, Common Operating Picture

"Well Done!" To:Operations Officer Colin Brown highlights the role of the District 13 Feeding Group and Monbulk Brigade for their professional performance and timely response to the HAZMAT incident on Friday 7th October at the Cadburys factory Koornang Road Scoresby. Colin reports that they arrived on site and had tea/coffee and hot hamburger meals within 30mins. All the team demonstrated a very professional approach to the task and this was reflected in the comments that Colin received from the fire services, VICPOL and other support agency members.

The Start Of The Fire Danger Period:The 1st of November sees the Fire Danger Period commences in the Colac Otway and Corangamite Shires. On the 7th November, the Fire Danger Period commences in Mildura Rural City Council.

Project 2016 - Meeting Our Service Delivery In High Urban Growth Areas:Project 2016 is the name given to the largest single project that CFA has ever taken on. It involves the employment of an additional 342 firefighters, upgrading and building new stations at a number of locations where service delivery by volunteers needs to be supported by career staff. The former Government announced funding of over $180 Million over a 5 year period to implement Project 2016. Planning for Project 2016 is in three phases. Recently we provided advice to both UFU and the VFBV on CFA plans for Phase 1. Phase 1 is proposed to appoint additional staff to crew specialist aerial and hazmat appliances; to increase manning at those integrated stations currently with two career staff up to three; and to appoint Operations Officers at Rowville and Packenham to prepare for integration at those two currently fully volunteer brigades. Engagement with those brigades affected by Phase 1 will commence this week. The consultation involved with project 2016 is complex and, particularly where it heralds the transition from a fully volunteer brigade to an integrated station, can be a significant change to all those involved. It is important to get this right and to keep our focus on the main thing, that is: continuing to support our front line people delivering timely and effective services to our community.

Towards A Common Operating Picture":Fire Services Commissioner, Craig Lapsley has commenced a project that has the vision of a Common Operating Picture. This means that a common set of risk and incident information and data is available to all emergency management agencies and the community. The target data is primarily for preparing for and during incidents and emergencies. A common set of data supports our aim of delivering timely, relevant and tailored information and warnings. A Common Operating Picture may include maps, data feeds, web-sites, and other visualisation technologies. Phase 1 of this project has commenced which identifies the information required by a Common Operating Picture. A multi-agency small team, with expertise in operational and information processes, has been established with CFA represented by Acting Director Strategic Planning, Adam Rogers.

About Humility:Humility is modesty of personal expectation. Humility embraces a simplicity and gratitude for one's lot in life. Humility is synonymous with sacrifice - that is, putting the needs of others before your own. Thus someone, or something, is made better or stronger because you have gone without. Humility is closely linked to courage, generosity and compassion. Humility implies a strength and an attractiveness through being minimalist and through placing lesser importance on material possessions or personal status. Thus, people who give of their service, time and possessions often are strengthened through that giving. Rudyard Kipling explores humility through his poem "IF": "If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breath a word about your loss;...".

"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: - nothing is more common than unsuccessful men and women with talent. Genius will not: - unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: - the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."